Construction of a cutting-edge $140-million streetcar service that investors believe will play a vital role to help revitalize Detroit is poised to begin within days.

Known as the M-1 Rail, the new transit line will be installed and operate on a five-kilometre section of Woodward Avenue stretching from the riverfront at Jefferson Avenue north to Grand Boulevard and the Fisher Building.

“We are excited,” said Paul Childs, chief operating officer for the project. “We have spent a lot of time planning. We have been waiting seven years to get on the ground. Now we are looking forward to doing the work and anxious to go.

“It’s a feel good project, but also back to the future. The streetcar last ran here on Woodward in 1956.”

A rendering of the M-1 Rail, the new transit line that will be installed and operate on a five-kilometre section of Woodward Avenue.

But the new sleek multi-car, computerized service is not your grandfather’s streetcar.

The modern design offers Wi-Fi, bike storage and climate-controlled cars that will pass through each of the 20 stations every seven to 10 minutes. The anticipated cost for a ride will be $1.50 with discount rates to be offered to seniors and frequent users.

Belief in the project and what it will mean economically for Detroit is so strong that over $100 million of the project’s cost is being paid through private donations by some of Detroit’s wealthiest individuals including billionaires Roger Penske and Dan Gilbert. The rest of the funds are coming from the U.S. federal government.

“These projects have proven to be great economic development tools,” Childs said.

“It’s been proven around the U.S. and the world when a streetcar like this comes into play it activates the sidewalk, which activates commercial development. When you do that, it activates residential. We are expecting 10,000 new housing (units) in the next 10 years just in this new corridor.”

Windsorites will also play a vital role in making the new streetcar a success as a connection location will be provided with Transit Windsor’s tunnel bus.

The best benefit will likely be for local post-secondary school students who frequently cross the border, largely those who attend Wayne State University. Many currently wrestle with traffic and parking, but will soon be able to use the tunnel bus, jump on the M-1 rail car and be on campus with the school being one of the streetcar’s planned primary stops.

“Some students use the tunnel bus, but there are greater number driving,” said Pat Delmore, director of operations for Transit Windsor. “This will open doors for people travelling day-to-day (to Detroit) currently not using our service.”

The M-1 rail cars will also pass close to both Comerica Park and Ford Field, but Delmore anticipates the tunnel bus will still go directly to both Tigers and Lions games.

The introduction of similar rapid transit streetcar lines have been a huge success in many cities across North America in terms of both ridership and creating economic revitalization by attracting residents who desire to live in close proximity because of the convenience it provides.

A rendering of the M-1 Rail, the new transit line that will be installed and operate on a five-kilometre section of Woodward Avenue. (Handout)

“This is going to open so many doors for people in Detroit,” Delmore said. “Some say we should have something like this in Windsor, but we are not there yet. Cities that do have them, it is a huge help to traffic congestion.

“A project like this really changes who uses public transit service.”

Childs also believes Windsor will see an economic benefit by having a greater number of Detroiters using the M-1 Rail streetcar to connect with the tunnel bus and visit downtown in this city.

“I really think there is a benefit to both sides,” he said. “This will interface the service with the tunnel bus together. It will be a short hop to the two locations.”

Construction is expected to take about 27 months to complete putting the anticipated opening date in late 2016 for the M-1 Rail service.

In the short term, those planning to travel through downtown Detroit should look for construction updates as different sections of Woodward will be closed to traffic during construction.

The first closure will be the stretch between Campus Martius Park and Adams Street which is just south of the Fox Theatre and Comerica Park for about 120 days, Childs said.

Temporary pedestrian bridges will be provided over the construction zone on Woodward and traffic will still be allowed to flow east and west across the road.

All road closures, suggested detour routes and more information about the streetcar project are available on the website M-1rail.com.

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